Guy Bailey stepping down as University of Alabama president

New UA President Guy Bailey, center, talks with UA Athletics Director Mal Moore, left, and UA System Chancellor Robert Witt, right, during the fourth quarter of the Alabama-Arkansas football game in Fayetteville, Ark., Sept. 15, 2012.

Dusty Compton | Tuscaloosa News

By Kim EatonStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 3:02 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 3:02 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Guy Bailey is stepping down as president of the University of Alabama after less than two months on the job. Meanwhile, a source close to the UA board of trustees confirmed Wednesday night that Judy Bonner, UA’s provost and executive vice president, would be named his replacement today.

Facts

Statement from Guy Bailey

"Today I have notified Chancellor Witt that I am stepping down as President of The University of Alabama. This is a decision my wife Jan and I made together after much discussion about how we can best address her health, which is the most important priority in our lives. By announcing this decision today, I hope the Board of Trustees will be in a position to take the next appropriate steps during its meeting in Tuscaloosa this week. We want to thank the faculty, staff, students, alumni and our many friends for your warm welcome. My family and I appreciate your understanding and your prayers."

Bonner had been UA’s interim president for six months before Bailey came to UA in September.

The source would not say if Bonner would be named permanent president or if her appointment would be interim. She would be the first woman to hold the post on a permanent basis at UA.

In resigning, Bailey cited his wife’s health problems.

Bailey, who has two degrees from UA, turned in his resignation on Wednesday to Chancellor Robert E. Witt, who heads the three-campus UA System.

“This is a decision my wife, Jan, and I made together after much discussion about how we can best address her health, which is the most important priority in our lives,” Bailey said in a statement. “We want to thank the faculty, staff, students, alumni and our many friends for your warm welcome. My family and I appreciate your understanding and your prayers.”

Bailey’s wife was “critically ill this summer and the Baileys’ priority for the foreseeable future is focused on her continued recovery,” said Deborah M. Lane, assistant vice president for university relations.

The UA board of trustees will hold a special meeting today in Tuscaloosa to “address the issue of presidential succession,” said Paul Bryant Jr., the board’s president pro tempore. It is not yet known when Bailey’s last day will be, but UA system spokeswoman Kellee Reinhart said it is anticipated that the board will accept his resignation during the meeting.

The trustees will discuss Bailey’s resignation request in a closed executive session at noon and then reconvene at 1 p.m. in Sellers Auditorium at the Bryant Conference Center to publicly address the issue.

Reinhart refused to comment on Bonner’s expected appointment.

Bonner was named interim president in March after Witt, who had been president of the Tuscaloosa campus since 2003, was named chancellor.

She has been provost and executive vice president since April 1, 2006.

When she was named interim president in March, Witt said he had worked closely with her during his nine years as UA president.

“She has been by my side as we have framed the vision for our future and as we have executed the strategic plan that has turned that vision into a reality,” Witt said at the time.

Bonner has been with UA for 31 years. Before her promotion to executive vice president and provost, she served three years as provost and vice president for academic affairs. She was dean of the College of Human Environmental Sciences from 1989-2003 and, before that, served as special assistant to the president, assistant academic vice president and head of the department of human nutrition and hospitality management.

She holds two degrees from UA — a bachelor’s in nutrition and a master’s in food and nutrition. She earned a Ph.D. in human nutrition from Ohio State University.

She has held faculty positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Ohio State.

Bonner is an active member of civic, scientific and professional organizations and is the author of numerous articles, according to her UA biography.

The trustees hired Bailey in July to replace Witt, Bailey’s annual salary was $535,000, not including performance incentives or benefits.

Before coming to UA, Bailey served as president of Texas Tech University from 2008 to 2012 and chancellor of Missouri-Kansas City from 2005-2008. The 37th UA president planned to focus on student and faculty success by improving retention and graduation rates, lowering the student-to-faculty ratio by increasing the size of the faculty and enhancing the scholarship research of the faculty by creating more endowed positions.

His first day on the job was Sept. 4.

“I respect and appreciate President Bailey’s decision. His priorities reflect his commitment to both his wife Jan and the University of Alabama,” Witt said. “He and Jan will remain in our prayers.”

Business Editor Patrick Rupinski and Sports Editor Cecil Hurt contributed to this report.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | Guy Bailey is stepping down as president of the University of Alabama after less than two months on the job. Meanwhile, a source close to the UA board of trustees confirmed Wednesday night that Judy Bonner, UA's provost and executive vice president, would be named his replacement today.</p><p>Bonner had been UA's interim president for six months before Bailey came to UA in September.</p><p>The source would not say if Bonner would be named permanent president or if her appointment would be interim. She would be the first woman to hold the post on a permanent basis at UA.</p><p>In resigning, Bailey cited his wife's health problems.</p><p>Bailey, who has two degrees from UA, turned in his resignation on Wednesday to Chancellor Robert E. Witt, who heads the three-campus UA System.</p><p>“This is a decision my wife, Jan, and I made together after much discussion about how we can best address her health, which is the most important priority in our lives,” Bailey said in a statement. “We want to thank the faculty, staff, students, alumni and our many friends for your warm welcome. My family and I appreciate your understanding and your prayers.”</p><p>Bailey's wife was “critically ill this summer and the Baileys' priority for the foreseeable future is focused on her continued recovery,” said Deborah M. Lane, assistant vice president for university relations.</p><p>The UA board of trustees will hold a special meeting today in Tuscaloosa to “address the issue of presidential succession,” said Paul Bryant Jr., the board's president pro tempore. It is not yet known when Bailey's last day will be, but UA system spokeswoman Kellee Reinhart said it is anticipated that the board will accept his resignation during the meeting.</p><p>The trustees will discuss Bailey's resignation request in a closed executive session at noon and then reconvene at 1 p.m. in Sellers Auditorium at the Bryant Conference Center to publicly address the issue.</p><p>Reinhart refused to comment on Bonner's expected appointment.</p><p>Bonner was named interim president in March after Witt, who had been president of the Tuscaloosa campus since 2003, was named chancellor.</p><p>She has been provost and executive vice president since April 1, 2006.</p><p>When she was named interim president in March, Witt said he had worked closely with her during his nine years as UA president.</p><p>“She has been by my side as we have framed the vision for our future and as we have executed the strategic plan that has turned that vision into a reality,” Witt said at the time.</p><p>Bonner has been with UA for 31 years. Before her promotion to executive vice president and provost, she served three years as provost and vice president for academic affairs. She was dean of the College of Human Environmental Sciences from 1989-2003 and, before that, served as special assistant to the president, assistant academic vice president and head of the department of human nutrition and hospitality management.</p><p>She holds two degrees from UA — a bachelor's in nutrition and a master's in food and nutrition. She earned a Ph.D. in human nutrition from Ohio State University.</p><p>She has held faculty positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Ohio State.</p><p>Bonner is an active member of civic, scientific and professional organizations and is the author of numerous articles, according to her UA biography.</p><p>The trustees hired Bailey in July to replace Witt, Bailey's annual salary was $535,000, not including performance incentives or benefits.</p><p>Before coming to UA, Bailey served as president of Texas Tech University from 2008 to 2012 and chancellor of Missouri-Kansas City from 2005-2008. The 37th UA president planned to focus on student and faculty success by improving retention and graduation rates, lowering the student-to-faculty ratio by increasing the size of the faculty and enhancing the scholarship research of the faculty by creating more endowed positions.</p><p>His first day on the job was Sept. 4.</p><p>“I respect and appreciate President Bailey's decision. His priorities reflect his commitment to both his wife Jan and the University of Alabama,” Witt said. “He and Jan will remain in our prayers.”</p><p> <i></p><p>Business Editor Patrick Rupinski and Sports Editor Cecil Hurt contributed to this report.</p><p> </p><p>Reach Kim Eaton at kim.eaton@­tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.</i></p>